Neapolitans would make this tomato salad with large tomatoes that still have a little green on them. This recipe uses ripe ones. At no time should the tomatoes be refrigerated. This is an excellent recipe to experiment with heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings
Preparation Time: 2 hours

14 large ripe tomatoes (7 to 8 pounds total), cut in half

For the dressing

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or to taste

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Seed the tomatoes by lightly squeezing them out over a garbage pail or a sink with a disposal, then cut into thin wedges. Place the tomatoes in a colander and leave to drain for 2 hours.

2. For the dressing, in a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, and oregano.

3. Transfer the drained tomatoes to a large bowl or platter and toss with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

This vast compendium [Little Foods of the Mediterranean] encapsulates the type of Mediterranean food that I love: simple, tasty, unpretentious, and easy to eat. Whether they are tapas, meze, or antipasti, they represent Mediterranean street food at its best. I especially applaud Clifford Wright’s great research into the similarities and the differences among the little foods of the eighteen countries of the Mediterranean Basin. - Jacques Pépin, chef, cookbook author, and public television show host